


Bang, Bang.

by lmeden



Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-01
Updated: 2012-01-01
Packaged: 2017-11-02 13:16:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/369370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lmeden/pseuds/lmeden
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He followed, two steps behind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bang, Bang.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Eustacia Vye (eustaciavye)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/eustaciavye/gifts).



She strode confidently down the hall, though Arthur knew she had to have no idea where she was going. He walked two steps behind her, watching the loose bun she’d tied at the base of her neck bob with her movement, grey strands twisted up in it and almost invisible. She still moved like a young woman.

Sometimes, he whispered directions, such as, “third door on the right,” or “the hall painted blue.” She never looked back to respond, or thank him in any way, but she always turned where he instructed. 

Soon enough, they found their way to the shooting range. 

It was empty, being late enough in the day that all the rookies trying to get their evaluations over with had long gone. Ariadne strode down the room, making for the cabinet at the end that held the guns. Arthur paused to lock the door behind them. 

He looked back to her. She stood in front of the cage, hands on her hips, clad in blue jeans, a long sleeved tee, and sneakers. As Arthur walked over, he reached into his pocket for his case of tools. The leather case was small and fit neatly into the palm of his hand when he pulled it out. 

Arthur held it out to her and said, “Hold this.” She did, flipping it open with ease and lifting so that Arthur could choose from the glinting silver tools, each one delicate and beautiful. He did so, then turned his skills on the lock to the cage. 

It opened under his fingers within a minute, and he pulled it off, let it fall to the floor. He took the case back from her.

“Now, remember,” he said. “I’ve paid the guard for one hour in here. I’ll teach you what I can, but don’t think that you’ll master shooting in that little time.”

Ariadne nodded. “I know, but I do need to learn the basics.”

Arthur pulled a small handgun out and opened a box of ammunition in the bottom of the cage. He swiftly loaded the weapon, flicking the safety off and checking it twice. 

“All right then,” he said. “Over here.”

He pointed toward one of the paper targets at the end of the range. It hung motionless, spotted with several holes where it had already been shot. Normally the fact that whoever had done the shooting hadn’t bothered to bring it in and replace it with a fresh paper would have annoyed Arthur, but this time the carelessness worked well for their purposes. 

He stepped up and lifted the gun with one hand. 

“Now, you see how I’m holding the gun?” 

Arthur waited until he heard Ariadne murmur in agreement. 

“This is wrong. Remember that. Do not shoot one-handed unless you absolutely have to.” He shot a glance at her and caught the raised corner of her eyebrow. He lifted his other hand and adjusted his grip. “This is how you hold a gun,” he said. 

He let the stance go and stepped back. “I want to see you do it.”

Ariadne’s gaze was shadowed as she looked down at the gun. She took it from him and cradled it in her palms, turning slowly until her back was to Arthur. He walked around to get a better view of her. 

Then she lifted the gun, sudden and swift, her shoulders alight with tension. Her eyes were narrowed on the target. She kept her fingers loose, though, away from the trigger. 

Arthur stepped closer, pressed gentle hands on her shoulders. “Breathe,” he said, and a sigh flowed out of her. He felt the muscles under his fingers slowly loosen. He moved back, but didn’t let her go. “Better. Now hold it.”

They stood there for a long moment. Ariadne was tense, despite Arthur’s words, but she knew it – Arthur felt her muscles tense and relax under his fingers, betraying her silent battle to master her instincts. Slowly, her breath began to even out. 

“Why now?” he asked. 

She jerked and tensed slightly, but her breath remained smooth.

“Hmm?” she murmured, and began to shift towards him.

“No, keep you arms up.” He watched her for another silent moment, his breathing aligned with hers. “I didn’t ask before, but… We’ve known each other for seventeen years, Ariadne. Why, after all this time, do you want to know how to shoot?” He considered voicing his worry, then decided it couldn’t hurt to ask. “Did something happen?”

Her gaze didn’t drift from the target, and her arms didn’t waver. “Nope. Nothing,” she said, tone light. Arthur didn’t believe her for a second. 

“Trigger. Now.”

He watched her eyes widen, then she pulled the trigger and the echo of the shot rattled through Arthur. The gun kicked back in her hands and she leaned back against him. 

Arthur took her arm and felt the muscles tremble. He lowered it until the gun pointed at the floor. 

She sighed, and it came out shaky, almost a laugh. “That was…harder than I expected,” she said. “Different than dreams. I didn’t.”

Arthur pressed his chin into her shoulder. “Yes. It takes more actual, physical force to pull that trigger in reality than it does in dreams. Remember that.”

She turned and her lips were very close to his. Arthur found himself watching her delicate eyelids, low over her eyes and hiding her thoughts. He followed the lines around her eyes, deepening in what he assumed was amusement. 

“Of course,” she said, voice light. Then she closed the distance and kissed him, deep enough that he sighed and her tongue darted out, tasted the corner of her mouth. 

She stepped away from him and pulled her arm free, lifting the gun and sighting once more. Arthur let her go and watched. She lowered the gun after a moment, without shooting again. 

“Now,” she said, turning towards him and smiling. “Show me how to unload this thing.” She reached up and pushed a few strands of hair from her eyes. 

She was even more beautiful, now, Arthur thought. He reached out and took the gun from her hand, smiling quickly in return.


End file.
